thinking too much

With categories of clubs, how to do you select your clubs? Do you pick a category that fits your game? Do you choose clubs that you have to learn how to play (e.g., blades), hopefully improving your ball striking? Do you go for GI/SGI forgiveness regardless of your ball striking level? Do you...

I'm hitting a Cleveland Hirebore XL driver that I picked up in ~ 2005. Other than the awful sound (that I suppose I interpret as feel), I am not displeased with it. But I am curious how new drivers would compare in terms of distance and ease/forgiveness/etc. On the course with preferred golf...